Poll: Jordanian hate for Israel reaches psychotic levels

A new survey of Jordanians by the Washington Institute reveals that Jordanian hate for Israel reaches the level of self-harm.

The Washington Institute’s Program on Arab Politics/Fikra Forum regularly surveys the Arab world. Its latest poll shows that Jordanians remain implacably anti-Israel and would rather Jordan suffer than allow even the most beneficial ties with the hated Jewish state.

84% of Jordanians across all age groups are opposed to having business deals with Israeli companies even if it would help their economy. 

Previous polls do not seem to have asked similar questions in quite the same way; in 2020 89% disagreed that "people who want to have business or sports contacts with Israelis should be allowed to do so." But that question was worded that the only person to lose out would be the would-be businessperson; here they were asked if they themselves would prefer to have a worse economy rather than allowing business deals with Israeli (meaning Jewish-owned Israeli) companies.

The psychosis gets even worse in the answer to the question of whether, in case of a natural disaster like an earthquake, Arab countries should refuse aid from Israel. 76% agreed with that statement, meaning that they are willing to sacrifice their own or other Arab lives rather than even see Israelis helping them.

This is beyond spite. With spite, there is at least the concept that one's pain is worth the satisfaction of hurting the other party. But refusing aid does not hurt Israel in the least - the only victims are the refusers themselves.

This cannot be explained by standard psychological descriptions of racism or hate. Very few racists would walk out of the hospital when they see the doctor about to treat them is of another race. In that case, self-preservation would trump racism; for Jordanians the hate overcomes the bigotry. How can that be?

As with much else in the Middle East, it can be explained by another framework: that of the honor/shame mentality. To allow themselves to be helped by the hated Israelis - again, exclusively meaning Israeli Jews - would be an affront to the Arab honor, because it means that the Jews can provide something they cannot provide adequately themselves. Accepting aid from people they consider inferior dhimmis is shameful, and that shame is more powerful than physical health, or economic gains, or human life itself. 

This is a fundamentally different type of antisemitic mindset than the ones we are familiar with in the Western world. And it is one that is barely dealt with in psychological texts, which often try to lump all kinds of bigotry and racism into the same bucket. 

The Jordanian response to this poll prove that Arab antisemitism, as expressed today, is different from that of traditional antisemites. Honor/shame is a powerful incentive that goes beyond the idea of self preservation. It cannot be combatted with outreach programs - it requires a fundamental change in the very way much of the Arab world thinks. 

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